From Sufi to Bollywood nights: How live gigs are pepping up Agra’s nightlife

TNN | Aug 19, 2018, 17:19 IST

Fusion Addiction, a Delhi-based band, performing at a cafe in Fatehabad (BCCL/Hemant Kumar)

For Agra youngsters, weekends have been all about cafe hopping and enjoying live band performances. With a growing number of music gigs, the live music culture is thriving in the city. The emergence of this trend has made the city a platform for budding artists and bands to showcase their talent.
Our footfall increases when we host live gigs: Cafe ownersPuneet Agarwal, the owner of Rolling Stones cafe, says, “Agrawallahs are warming up to live music culture. We mostly organise unplugged and acoustic nights on weekends, and it is during this time that our outlet is jam-packed. A lot of youngsters attend these live gigs. From retro to Sufi, they request different songs of their likes.” Panchal Kapoor, the owner of Mocha Cafe, says “A lot of people opt for a venue that plays soothing music, which is why many prefer visiting a cafe that organises live band performances. We got a really good response when we organised our first live performance and since then we have been routinely organising such shows. In fact, the footfall at our cafe increases by 50% on the days we organise live gigs. These shows have really helped us gain customers.”

Pushpendra, the owner of Urban Deck, says, “We host alternate DJ nights and live music from Friday to Sunday. Every weekend, we have performances by different professional bands from Delhi. There are a lot of takers for live music in the city as these bands apart from playing soothing music, also play songs on request. Ever since we started organising such performances, many college students have become our permanent customers.”

Agra’s audience is really warm: MusiciansRatan Jot Singh, the lead vocalist of No-Parking, a Delhi-based band, says, “It is always amazing to perform in Agra. The audience here is really warm and they cheer for us with their whole heart. Every weekend, we perform at different cafes and we perform at each place according to the taste of the crowd. From Sufi to Bollywood music, people request for different genres. Agra has given us a lot of recognition in the last few months.”

Naveen Singh, the lead guitarist of Agastya, a multi-genre band from Delhi, says, “With more live gigs being organised in the city, Agra’s music scene is becoming more vibrant. I feel that Agra crowd is much better than Delhi as they are very warm and they give an overwhelming response every time we perform here. Sooner, we are also planning to perform our own songs at live gigs here. We really think that Agrawallahs will enjoy independent music also.”

Akash Chauhan, the lead vocalist of Fusion Addiction, a Delhi-based band, says, “When we performed for the first time in Agra, we didn’t expect much praise from the audience. But they surprised us with their enthusiasm. Our first performance in the city was a big hit as we performed in front of a jam-packed audience.”

Agrawallahs enjoying a band performance at a cafe on MG Road

Live performances have made the city’s nightlife more vibrant: AgrawallahsAkanksha Agarwal, a resident of Delhi Gate, says, “I celebrated my birthday on weekend so that I could enjoy a live music performance with my friends. Most of these gigs are organized on weekends and the ambience of cafes during such performances is amazing. I am glad that more live gigs are being hosted in Agra as it has made our weekend outing more exciting.”

Varun Mittal, a resident of Lajpat Kunj, says, “The best part about attending a band performance is that they play songs on request, too. It just adds to the whole experience. This trend has made up for all the lost years of Agra’s nightlife.”

Astha Gupta, a resident of Khandari, says, “Band performances have given us more reasons to hang out with friends on weekends. During live music, every artist has his / her own way of presenting a song and this adds a personal touch to it. Since different cafes organise themed gigs, we pick the venue according to the mood of the day.”

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